Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Treatment Efficacy Of Parent-Led Aba For Children With Autism And Their Parents, Lindsey Renee Sneed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex and heterogenous, neurodevelopmental disorder. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a common treatment modality for children with autism with marked improvements demonstrated in communication, social, and adaptive functioning. The most common implementation of ABA is a practitioner-led model, whereby a paraprofessional directly implements treatment with the oversight of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. Parent mediated treatments are another model proving to be efficacious for children with autism and their parents. While this model is applied in therapeutic treatments such as speech pathology, early intervention, and other behavioral approaches (e.g., ESDM, PRT), parent mediated treatment has …

Importance Of Childhood Maltreatment On Borderline Personality In Adults: Meta-Analysis, Lisa Nicole Trentacosti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood maltreatment (CM) is a risk factor for later psychopathology specifically Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). CM has been found to negatively affect social, emotional, and psychological development as well as the ability to foster and sustain interpersonal relationships throughout all stages of life. There are evidence-based interventions for different kinds of CM including Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Alternatives for Families - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT), relaxation training, and social skills training. The current study is a meta-analysis of published research into CM as it contributes to BPD in adults and is designed to examine the effect size of childhood …

Invariant Structural Features Of Retrograde Amnesia Affected Memory, Daniel K. Burch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatized individuals may use one or several emotional defensive strategies to cope with their experience; one method is via autobiographical amnesia which may influence the efficacy of amnesiac patients’ psychological adjustment during a sensitive period. Little research has addressed the potential of how emotionally invariant structural features may impact the reconsolidation of autobiographical memory, which in turn may support patients to complete successfully psychotherapeutic treatment or intervention. This phenomenological study addressed how lived experiences (i.e., invariant emotional and behavioral conscious states) may play into patients’ transformational memory of some or all of the traumatizing event details. To answer these questions, …

Phenomenological Study Of Parental Perceptions Regarding Components Of Early Home Reading, Shakiba Amini Mobaraki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany children struggle with developing their reading skills at the point of starting formal elementary school. Parents contribute to their children’s literacy development through early home reading engagement aimed at improving their children’s reading skills. Parental styles of literacy interactions are associated with their beliefs and perceptions regarding literacy development of children. Therefore, there was a need to understand parental perceptions regarding (a) the importance of child’s readiness for reading interactions, (b) the quality of parent-child reading activities, and (c) the importance of parental preferences regarding specific reading materials. The research questions focused on parents’ lived experiences regarding the values …

Assessment Tools In Clinical And Counseling Psychology, Alea Reifenrath

Undergraduate Research Journal

Evidence-based assessment (EBA) is defined as the use of standardized assessment tools that have research support for their psychometric properties (Jensen-Doss & Hawley, 2010). Assessment is a key aspect of the therapeutic process. It involves screening individuals who are at risk for a particular mental health concern, determining the severity of a given issue, and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. EBA allows for best practice by providing empirically sound, valid, reliable measures of assessment.

The broad areas of anxiety and depression represent extremely common disorders. Because of their high prevalence, evidence-based assessment tools catered toward depression and anxiety could be …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Depression Among Older Adults: The Role Of Working Memory And Sleep, David Brush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Introduction: The development and regulation of depressive symptoms and the ability to regulate their development is a complex process. Both working memory and sleep disturbance relates to depressive symptom endorsement, though the mechanisms relating these variables have not been examined longitudinally. The current manuscript contains a series of three interrelated studies that aim to elucidate the relationship between potential emotion regulation resources longitudinally within the context of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation of Emotion Regulation (SOC-ER) model. Study one examined the temporal relationship between working memory and depression, study two examined working memory and depression following loss of spouse, and …

The Effects Of Therapist Expertise And Concerns Of Involuntary Hospitalization On The Disclosure Of Suicidal Ideations And Behavior, Zane Hensel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Suicide continues to grow as a complex and multi-faceted problem in prevention and treatment, particularly for college students with an increased predictor of risk of suicidal behaviors. Previous research has indicated that one of the largest concerns for suicide disclosure is a fear of involuntary hospitalization. Over 200 college students participated in examining therapist expertise and understanding information on involuntary hospitalization on their rate of suicide disclosure. A 2x2 MANOVA, a 2x2x2 MANOVA that included gender, and a factor analysis were performed on an ad-hoc 11-question survey assessing suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior disclosure. The results indicated that there was …

Exploring Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy In Clinical Practice, Tim Rieck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

ABSTRACT

Key Words: religion, spirituality, sacred, intervention, spiritual intervention, soul

Over the past twenty years, spirituality and religion have gained increased attention in the field of psychotherapy. In the research of psychotherapy, psychology, and social work, there is recognition that spirituality and religion can contribute to positive outcomes when people are faced with various challenges and distresses in life.

The main challenges are tied into determining how to move the research beyond the fact that spirituality has importance in psychotherapy to exploring how spirituality is integrated in psychotherapy. There are numerous questions to explore regarding the application of spirituality into …

A Comparison Of Clinic-Based And Telehealth Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Abigail Peskin

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rich evidence for early intervention to prevent/treat emotional and behavioral disorders, a gap continues to exist between research and practice, and multitudinous barriers prevent families from accessing vital evidence-based services. Telehealth is an emerging area of research and clinical practice, often proposed as a solution for multiple barriers to service provision. However, despite scattered promising evidence translating in-person treatments to telehealth, many treatments still lack established effectiveness in a virtual format. Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a traditionally in-person behavioral parenting intervention uniquely well-suited to telehealth, as during typical clinic practice the clinician is not in the clinic …

Examining How Adverse Childhood Experiences And The Underlying Processes Of Trait And State Impulsivity Influence Suicidal Behavior, Julia K. Duran

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

ABSTRACT

Due to the effects of ACEs and impulsive behavior on mental and physical health, it is important to better understand the relationship between these two as well as how they both may influence choices, such as suicide. Numerous studies have identified impulsive behavior as a risk factor for suicide, however, recent research has identified several underlying independent processes that make up impulsivity. This study uses a broad assessment of trait and state impulsivity to gather a more discrete understanding of the underlying processes that contribute to impulsive behavior. The short version UPPS-P scale was used to measure negative urgency, …

What Influences Suffering In Silence: Examining Mental Health Stigma, Social-Cognitive Factors, And Age As Predictors Of The Willingness To Seek Professional Psychological Help, Bobbie Call

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Mental health and wellness are increasingly common and popular topics discussed and researched in the world today. Recent estimates suggest that one in five adults in the United States of America experience mental health issues each year; this is estimated to be approximately 51.5 million adults (NAMI, 2020). However, despite many individuals who might suffer from mental health issues, and perhaps be diagnosed with a mental health disorder, these same individuals may not seek out the help and psychological services needed. Research exploring why people do not seek out help for their mental health should be a priority. Thus, the …

The Role Of Social Anxiety In Prosocial Behavior Following Exclusion, Hannah Friedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety (SA) causes significant distress and impairment in several areas of daily life. Individuals with SA experience increased rates of exclusion and have more difficultly forming meaningful interpersonal relationships. Exclusion is associated with increased SA and motivations for social withdrawal in emerging adulthood. In non-SA individuals, the desire for compensatory social interaction following exclusion often produces prosocial behaviors (e.g., increased effort to help the group). Prosocial behavior levels following exclusion are not uniform, however, as an individual’s response may vary depending on the type of exclusion experienced. Although previous work has observed decreased levels of prosocial behavior in non-SA …

The Influence Of Emotion Regulation And Family Involvement On Diabetes Distress Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Patric Justin Leukel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adults with diabetes frequently experience diabetes related distress which is associated with negative health outcomes. Family members are commonly involved in patients’ diabetes self-management. However, family involvement can have harmful and/or helpful effects on patients’ diabetes outcomes. Difficulties in regulating emotions may play a role in patients’ interactions with family members and experience of diabetes distress. This study examined the role of emotion regulation and type of family involvement in diabetes distress among 370 adults with type 2 diabetes. Two separate three-step sequential linear regression models were used to test the main and interactive effects of harmful and helpful family …

The Trajectory Of Resilience, Meaning In Life, Social Support, Posttraumatic Growth, And Posttraumatic Stress For Emerging Adult Trauma Survivors, Marcela C. Weber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The literature suggests the relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic stress (PTS) is curvilinear, and that type or severity of trauma may affect this relationship. The relationship between depression, anxiety, and PTG is understudied. It is well established that meaning in life predicts PTG, PTS, and resilience, yet most of the research has measured general perceived meaning rather than meaning beyond-the-self, specifically, which was initially theorized by mid-century Humanistic psychologists. Mixed findings about whether searching for meaning is beneficial or harmful suggests potential moderators of search for meaning should be explored. METHOD: Participants (N = 628) were emerging …

Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depressive Symptoms, Mary Le

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Social media continues to grow in popularity but has been associated with diminished mental health in some users. Social media provides a platform for social comparison, which influences how individuals evaluate their traits, abilities, and successes in achieving life milestones and, in turn, may impact psychological functioning. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether social comparison and cognitive distortions mediated the relationship between social media use and depressive symptoms in younger adults. In total, 175 adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years were recruited online (64.6% male, 34.9% female; 45.7% Asian). Participants completed anonymous surveys …

Black Girls Work Out Too! An Exploration Of Physical Activity Behaviors Of Black Women, Kimberley C. Desir

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Lack of participation in physical activity has become an increasing public health concern in the United States. Compared to any other racial and ethnic group, Black women have the lowest prevalence of exercise. A limited amount of empirical research suggests cultural beliefs about the meaning of physical activity has a role in one’s ability to initiate and maintain a physical activity regimen. Black women face specific sociocultural factors that impact their physical activity routines. Hair care practices and maintenance has been identified as a unique barrier among Black women. This qualitative research study investigated the influence of the distinctions in …

Examining The Psychometric Properties Of The Weekly Emotional And Functional Summary, Brittany Lynn Quimby

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Self-report questionnaires are used in clinical practice to aid in the process of conceptualizing, diagnosing, planning treatment, and monitoring progress throughout treatment. However, self-report questionnaires can be inconvenient to both clinicians and patients if excessive time is needed to complete and score them. To date, a brief and consolidated self-report questionnaire that measures anxiety, depression, anger, suicidality, homicidality, positive mental health, and functioning does not exist. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and the psychometric properties of the self-report questionnaire, the Weekly Emotional and Functional Summary (WEFS). The study was correlational, using archival data …

Prosocial Behaviors, Gross Motor Abilities, And Soccer Skill Acquisition Of Preschool-Aged Children, Julia Gomes

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The psychosocial and physical benefits of organized sports participation for school-aged children, collegiate athletes, and professional athletes is well understood and recognized in the literature; however, less is known about the possible benefits of sport participation for preschool-aged children. The objective of the study was to examine whether children’s involvement in an organized team sport program facilitated their gross motor, soccer skill, and prosocial development, as well as their soccer experiences. This study examined participants between the ages of 1.5 and 4.5 years old, who were first time participants of a soccer program. To examine the research questions, a paired …

Assessing Factors That Increase The Likelihood Of Naloxone Administration, Samantha Nagy

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

For more than two decades, the opioid epidemic has swept through the United States and has caused thousands of deaths every year due to opioid overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2019) has reported that since 1999, over 770,000 Americans have died from overdoses. Nearly 70% of deaths in 2018 were due to opioids, 47% of which were the result of fentanyl or a non-methadone opioid and 22% were the result of heroin (CDC, 2019). As policy and treatment protocols attempt to manage those who seek treatment, the pharmaceutical industry has developed a life-saving medication that gives …

The Relationship Between Insomnia, Sleep Continuity Disturbance, Sleep-Related Daytime Dysfunction, Problem Endorsement, And Aging In A Community-Based Sample, Julia T. Boyle

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Although older adults experience greater difficulty initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, or waking up earlier than intended, they are less likely to report that they perceive this to be a problem. The discordance between sleep disorder symptoms and the reported perception that they are troubling is unusually prevalent among older adults. This may be problematic, in that individuals who do not perceive their sleep continuity disturbances (SCDs; difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up earlier than intended) to be problems are less likely to seek treatment. Untreated SCD has been shown to be a risk factor for the development or …

Gender Differences In Cognitive Distortions In Adults With Adhd, Laura Salciunas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research has established that men and women with ADHD often manifest varying symptom constellations and are typically referred at different ages for initial evaluation. However, there is a dearth of research into how such gender differences may impact the manifestation of various psychological processes, such as cognitive distortions, even though the latter may explain up to half the variance in many clinical syndromes and personality disorders. The primary objective of this study was to identify whether there is a significant difference in the frequency of cognitive distortions between men and women with ADHD. The secondary objective was to determine the …

An Examination Of Internet Search Behavior And Completed Suicide Rates Across The United States, Marie Louise Rhoads

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Suicide remains a leading cause of death in the US (CDC, 2021; Murphy et al., 2018). The literature has shown that individuals seeking information on personal or sensitive topics are likely to utilize the internet (Jacobs et al., 2017; Mok et al., 2015; Pew Research Center, 2019). Research also suggests that internet search behavior can be utilized to track and predict disease outbreak effectively, as well as other public health trends across the nation (Paparrizos et al., 2016; Parker, et al., 2017). Moreover, implicit associations related to suicide have been identified as strong predictors of future suicide (Millner et al., …

Gastrointestinal Symptoms And Belly Pain During The Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle In Healthy Young Females, Preethashree Anbukkarasu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are significant differences between the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms between males and females. A recent review found that females report having more severe GI health problems compared to males. One explanation for the higher reporting rates of GI symptoms in females could be attributed to menstrual cycle influences rather than GI processes.

This research aims to examine the relationship between how gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced by women covary with the different stages of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, a secondary purpose is to determine the moderating effect of health anxiety on the severity of menstrual and GI symptoms.

Responses …

Therapist Multicultural Orientation: Client Perceptions Of Cultural Humility, Sexual Identity, And The Working Alliance, Todd L. Jennings

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research examining the benefits of cultural humility for diverse clients has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. However, little empirical research has applied therapist cultural humility to lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. In a sample of 333 LGB persons, the current study examined whether therapist cultural humility predicted a stronger client-therapist working alliance. LGB identity centrality (IC) and identity affirmation (IA) were considered as possible moderators of this relationship. Therapist cultural humility predicted stronger working alliances in the present sample; however, this association was not moderated by IC or IA. These results suggest that therapist cultural humility is …

Psychological Distress And Relationship Satisfaction Among Survivors Of Sexual Violence, Alyssa Campbell

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The World Health Organization (WHO; 2002) has indicated that sexual violence is a serious public health concern, and both the WHO and the United Nations (UN) have declared that violence against women, in particular, is a profound violation of human rights (UN General Assembly, 1993; WHO, 2017). Although the systemic and negative impact of trauma on family and intimate relationships have been well documented, the empirical literature regarding the effects of adult sexual trauma on relationship satisfaction is less robust. These studies are designed to address this gap and will do so with analyses centered on an understudied population: the …

Evaluating Antecedents To Treatment Success In Juveniles With Sexually Problematic Behavior, Alexandra P. Pappas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The impact of rape and other sexual offenses represents a major problem in society and can lead to chronic and harmful physical, psychological, and social consequences. Juveniles (younger than 18 years old) account for 20% of sexual offense arrests in the United States, with 96% of reported cases committed by male perpetrators. Risk indicators and characteristics of juveniles who sexually offend include demographic factors (e.g., history of sexual abuse), personality factors (e.g., antisocial behavior), and below average intelligence and cognitive functioning. Treatment of problematic sexual behavior in juveniles varies in intensity, structure, and level of supervision, though research investigating unsuccessful …

A Proposal To Develop And Pilot-Test The Effects Of A Culturally Adapted Stigma Intervention For Latinos, Sandy Ahumada

CMC Senior Theses

The bulk of research examining barriers to mental health services (MHS) for Latinos focuses on financial obstacles such as socioeconomic status and insurance coverage. Unfortunately, less work has been done on cultural barriers such as stigma. The purpose of this proposed study is to develop and pilot-test a culturally adapted contact intervention for Latinos that reduces stigma and increases help-seeking intentions. This study will test the differential efficacy of utilizing psychoeducation with the newly developed interpersonal contact intervention (PIC) as opposed to psychoeducation (P) only. Participants (n=324) will fill out pre- (T1), post- (T2), and 1-week follow-up (T3) …

Toward An Understanding Of Treatment Moderators Based On Etiological Models Of Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Tess E. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Extant research suggests negative outcomes associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) can be avoided with early intervention, with the most efficacious being behavioral parent training. However, parent training suffers from limitations including high drop-out rates, adherence, and long-term maintenance. Yet, consistent predictors of differential outcomes among individuals have not been identified. Etiological work suggests traits may be an early marker of disruptive behaviors. The goal of the current study is to examine child traits as a moderator of treatment outcomes for ADHD and ODD, using an efficacious short parent training treatment, Brief Behavioral Intervention (BBI). Twenty-six …

The Interactive Effects Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) Polymorphisms And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder On Neurocognitive Functioning In U.S. Military Veterans, Colton Shafer Rippey

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with mild-to-moderate deficits in neurocognitive functioning. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, namely, the Met allele, may also be associated with mild deficits in neurocognitive functioning. However, findings are inconsistent and may be sensitive to environmental epigenetic moderators such as psychopathology.

The current study analyzed data from European-American U.S. military veterans (n = 1,244) who participated in the 2011 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Multivariate analyses of covariances were conducted to evaluate the unique and interactive effects of the Met allele and probable PTSD on …

The Utility Of The Unified Protocol In Treating Borderline Personality Disorder, Martina Fruhbauerova

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by maladaptive levels across three personality domains: Neuroticism, (low) Agreeableness, and (low) Conscientiousness. The Unified Protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic treatment that targets neuroticism and has demonstrated promising effects with BPD. However, not all individuals with BPD respond to UP treatment. The aim of the current study was to explore the extent to which the UP is an efficacious treatment for BPD symptoms. This study represents a secondary analysis of a clinical trial in which the UP was the study treatment; data from the full sample and a subset of nine participants who likely …